This application is a continuation of U.S. plant patent application Ser. No. 09/887,919, filed on Jun. 22, 2001 now abandoned.
Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Malus domestica. 
Variety denomination: xe2x80x98Burchinal Red Deliciousxe2x80x99.
The new variety, denominated xe2x80x98Burchinal Red Deliciousxe2x80x99, was discovered by Robert Burchinal at the Adams Apple Orchard located at 2640 Bench Road, Othello, Wash., as a sport limb mutation. The tree having the mutated sport limb was found in a cultivated block of Oregon Spur(copyright) red delicious apple trees (xe2x80x98Wells and Wade cultivarxe2x80x99xe2x80x94U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,816).
Mr. Burchinal was attracted to the tree by the sport limb that had fruit of a more uniform, deeper red color, much earlier than fruit of the remainder of the tree and neighboring trees. The new variety develops red color immediately as it comes out of bloom, as compared to other red delicious varieties, including the parent, which emerge green and gradually develop the characteristic red color. Asexual reproduction of the new variety was successfully accomplished in 1993 by budding two trees on Malus domestica seedling rootstock, one at Othello, Wash., and one at East Wenatchee, Wash. (second generation). Buds from the second generation trees were used in reproducing approximately 45 trees (third generation) by budding, of which approximately 9 trees of the new variety were budded in Wenatchee, Wash. The third generation trees bore fruit in 1997, identical to fruit of the parent and the discovered sport limb. In 1997, approximately 1,000 trees of the new variety were budded (fourth generation) and those trees exhibited characteristics identical to the parent, bearing fruit in fall 2001.
The new variety has been compared to the parent tree, Oregon Spur(copyright) (xe2x80x98Wells and Wade cultivar,xe2x80x99 U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,816), and also to Scarlet Spur(copyright) (xe2x80x98Snipes cultivar,xe2x80x99 U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,839). The new variety is similar to the parent in shape, flesh color, sugar level, and taste. However, the new variety develops an early red color at petal fall, as compared to the traditional green color of the parent and other known red delicious varieties. The leaves of the new variety have a deeper red midvein than the parent and other known varieties. Fruit and stems of the new variety exhibit a red color immediately upon emerging from bloom, and the finish color is a darker red than the finish color of the parent. The dark red color extends into the stem end of the fruit. Fruit of the new variety has a thicker stem than its parent, but of the same length, making the new variety easier to harvest.